Machine for laying paper mulch



Dec. 23, 1930. R, METTE AL '1 1,786,021

,1 MACHINE FOR: LAYING PAPER MULcH Fi l ed Jan. 29, 19:50

2 [rmenlor By I Attorney Patented Dec. 23, 1930 PATENT OFFICE RAPHAEL METTETAL, OF PLYMOUTH, MICHIGAN MACHINE FOR LAYING PAPER MULGH Application filed January 29, 1930. Serial No. 424,361.

My invention relates to a horse-drawn machine for laying paper mulch, shown in the accompanying drawings and more particularly described in the following specification and claims. 1

The primary object of the invention is to provide a machine of simple, inexpensive construction which is adapted to unroll paper mulch upon a previously prepared soil while concurrently scraping aside a relatively thin layer of the surface soil from the path of the mulching paper the soil upon the passage of the machine, automatically falling and overlapping the edges of the paper which has been previously unrolled upon the ground without the employment of-mechanical means for turning'the soil over the marginal edges of the paperas the machine is drawn in afor ward directionby horse or other power.

A further object of the invention is to provide means whereby the machine may be ad'- justed for laying diflferent widths of mulchingpaper. V a A further object of the invention consists in providing'means whereby the roll of paper may rest directly upon the ground, that it may follow the contour of the ground and be always in contact with its surface.

further object of the invention is to provide means for carrying an additional roll or rolls of mulchingpaper, to avoid the necessity of returning to a storehouse forsupplies should the roll in use be exhausted during the mulching operation in the field.

Another feature of the invention consists in a pair of adjustable shield-scrapers, assem bled in V-shaped relation,-fitted with adjustable tail pieces, which normally are sub- 7 stantially parallel with the ends of the mulch- 40 ing rollunder working conditions. The V- shaped shield-scrapers are adapted to force to each side a relatively thin layer of the surface soil as the machine is driven in a forward direction,the soil being supported from falling into thepath of the mulching paper by the walls of the shield-scraper and the adjustable tail pieces hinged to the end of the latter. Upon the passage of the machine, the

-' soil scraped to each side of the surface, after 56 wards covered by the mulch, automatically falls over and upon the marginal edges of the previously laid mulch paper, thus securing the latter against displacement'by wind or other natural causes.

With the foregoing and other objects in view which will appear as the description proceeds, the invention further resides in the combination and arrangement of parts and in the details of construction hereinafter described and claimed, it being understood that changes may be-made in the precise embodiment of the invention herein disclosed without departing from the spirit of the same.

In the drawings accompanying this specification:

Figure 1 is a perspective view of the machine laying a paper mulch, indicating its adjustable wedge-shaped members in the act of scraping off a thin layer of the surface soil from a previously prepared bed prior to cov- 'ering the marginal edges of the paper with the soil as the machine unrolls the mulching paper upon the bed.

Figure 21 is a transverse sectional ifiew through the mulching paper and ground on which it is laid, showing the soil overlapping the edges of the paper.

' Referring now to the letters of reference placed upon the drawings:

A denotes a frame, comprising a longitudinal member A having a depending bracket A at its forward end, to which is hinged a pair of adjustable shield-scraper plates B.

G indicates a bracket for supporting a wheel D,- adjustably secured to the longitudinal bar A of the frame by a bolt- C ex:- tending through a slot in the bracket.

E denotes a hook secured to the end of the longitudinal bar for supporting a singletree.

B B are adjustable tail-pieces, hinged to the rear end of the shield-scraper plates.

F, F are adjustable supporting arms for carrying a roll of mulching paper, pivoted at F to the shield-scraper plates. F F are U-shaped guides overlapping the support ing arms F F, to limit the up and down movement of the latter. The arms F, F are curved slightly adjacent the hinge connection between the scraper plates B and tail-pieces B and at each end are bent at right-angles to the body of the bar to provide trunnions F for receiving and supporting the roll G of mulch paper, mounted thereon.

fl is a divided transverse bar, the outer ends of which are bent at substantially rightangles to provide a footing for attachment to the tail pieces B H is an auxiliary bar connecting the divided bars H together, through the bracket fixtures K, bolted to the transverse member A at the rear end of the longitudinal member A of the frame.

L L denotes handles bolted at L to the longitudinal member A of the frame.

M and M are cross-bars to maintain the handle bars in spaced relation. N N are upright members bolted at their upper ends to the handle bars and at their lower ends to the transverse member A at the end of the longitudinal member A of the frame.

P are cross-braces secured to the upright members N, N to stiffen the handle bars.

R is a bracket to support one end of an extra roll of pap-er, the other end of the roll be ng lodged in the crotch formed by th handle L.-or an additional bracket R- may be attached to the longitudinal member of the frame to assist in supporting the roll if preferred.

Having now indicated the several parts by reference letters, the construction and operation of the device will be readily understood.

The soil is first thoroughly prepared for planting, and should be soft and in proper workable condition.

The roll of mulching paper G is supported on the inwardly directed trunnions of the adjustable bars F,-the latter being free to swing up and down to permit the roll of paper to rest directly upon the surface of the soil, so that upon unrolling it may follow the contour of the ground.

The machine may be drawn by one or more horses over the surface of the soil, the latter being scraped slightly toward each side of the ned by the. forward movement of the adjustable wedge-shaped shields, thus providing a. substantially level path for the mulching paper it is unwound upon the ground by the advancement of the machine over the latter.

The machine in its pro ress over the ground while scraping its upper surface sity of employing, other means to turn the soil upon the edges of the paper, or to cut a furrow in the soil to receive its edges.

It will be apparent that by this arrangement, a hand wheel hoe may be run between and over the edges of the mulchingpaper without disturbing the latter, eliminating all hand hoeing. It will also be seen that the soil between the strips of mulching paper being higher than the beds covered by paper will result in all rainfall flowing toward the beds.

After laying the mulching paper, holes may be punched through the paper as suitable intervals to receive the plants or seeds desired.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim is:

l. A machine for unrolling and laying mulching paper comprising a frame; a pair of shieldscraper members secured at their forward ends to the frame, and extending rearwardly in spaced wedge-shaped relation to each other, whereby they are adapted for scraping a relatively thin layer of surface soil to each side of the machine and to automatically deposit same upon the marginal edges of a mulching paper; and means for holding a roll of mulching paper at the rear of said shield-scraper members, the roll being in contact with the surface of the soil, whereby as the machine is driven in a forward direction, the mulching paper is unrolled upon the ground and its marginal edges covered by the soil delivered at the rear of the scrapershield members due to the passage of the machine.

2. A machine for unrolling and laying mulching paper, comprising a frame; a. pair of adjustable shield-scraper members hinged at their forward ends to the frame, extending rearwardly in spaced wedge-shaped relation to each other, whereby they are adapted for scraping a relatively thin layer of surface soil to each side of the machine to be automatically deposited upon the marginal edges of a mulching paper; and adjustable means for holding a roll of mulching paper at the rear of said shield-scraper members in contact with the surface of the soil, whereby as the machine is driven in a forward direction, the mulching paper is unr-olled upon the ground and its marginal edges overlapped by the soil delivered at the rear of the scrapershield members upon the passage of the machine.

3. A machine for unrolling and laying mulching paper, comprising a. frame; a pair of adjustable shield-scraper members hinged at their forward ends to the frame extending rearwardly in spaced wedge-shaped relation to each other, whereby they are adapted for scraping a relatively thin layer of surface soil to each side of the machine and to automatically deposit the same upon the marginal edges of a mulching paper; and a pair of automatically adjustable bars respectively pivoted at their forward ends to the adjustable shield-scraper members, with inwardly directed trunnions at their rear ends for holding a roll of mulching paper in contact with the surface of the soil, whereby as the mulching paper is unrolled upon the ground by the forward movement of the machine, its marginal edges are overlapped by the soil delivered at the rear of the scraper-shield members.

4:. A machine for unrolling and laying mulching paper, comprising a frame; a pair of adjustable shield-scraper members hinged at their forward ends to the frame, extending rearwardly in spaced wedge-shaped relation to each other; a pair of tail pieces hinged to the rear ends of said shield-scraper members adapted to overlap the ends of a roll of mulching paper; and adjustable means for holding a roll of mulching paper between said tail pieces in contact with the surface of the soil, whereby as the machine is driven in a forward direction, the mulching paper is unrolled upon the ground and its marginal edges overlapped by the soil delivered at the rear of the tail pieces upon the passage of the machine.

5. A machine for unrolling and laying mulching paper, comprising a frame; a pair of adjustable soil-scraper members, hinged at their forward ends to the frame extending rearwardly in spaced wedge-shaped relation to each other; apair of tail plates respectively hinged to the rear ends of said soil scraping members; a divided spacing bar provided with foot pieces secured to said tail pieces, a pair of bracket fixtures secured to the frame, adapted to receive and support the opposing ends of the divided spacing bar; an auxiliary spacing bar connecting the divided transverse bar and supported by the bracket fixtures, and a pair of inclined handle bars secured at their forward ends to a longitudinally extending member of the frame, a pair of upright members respectively bolted to said handle bars and to a transverse member of the frame; and aplurality of cross bars and braces connected with said upright members adapted to stiffen and give rigidity to the handle bars.

6. A structure as specified in claim 1, in combination with a wheel supporting bracket fixture, adapted to be adjustably secured to the forward end of the frame of the machine; and means for adjustably securing said fixture to the frame.

In testimony whereof, I sign this specification.

RAPHAEL METTETAL. 

